Ben Delo has donated £4 million to Reform UK, totaling £8 million this year, amid scrutiny of the party's funding practices.
Key Highlights
- Ben Delo's donations of £1 million on April 17 and £3 million on April 30 accounted for 75% of Reform UK's total donations.
- With £8 million donated this year, Delo is the second-largest donor to Reform UK, following Christopher Harborne.
- Reform UK raised £5.33 million in total donations, exceeding Labour's £3.59 million this quarter.
Ben Delo, co-founder of BitMEX, has made a significant contribution of £4 million to Reform UK, elevating his total donations to the party to £8 million this year, according to the latest records from the Electoral Commission.
Delo's contributions were split into two payments, one of £1 million made on April 17 and another of £3 million on April 30, both of which were processed promptly. These donations represented a substantial 75% of the £5.33 million raised by Reform UK during the same timeframe, marking them as the largest individual donations received by any UK political party this quarter.
In comparison, Labour managed to secure £3.59 million in donations, while the Conservative Party reported higher overall totals. Notably, Christopher Harborne, a significant backer who has donated £15 million to Reform UK since the last election, did not contribute this time around.
Under UK electoral rules established in March, donors must be registered for at least 12 months to contribute more than £100,000 in a year. A source from Reform UK suggested that Delo's registration may have been longer than previously believed, which could help retain his latest donation.
No Cryptocurrency Donations
All contributions were made in cash, as political donations in cryptocurrency were banned in March, with Reform UK being the last major party to accept such donations prior to the prohibition. Neither Delo nor Harborne's donations were made in cryptocurrency.
Delo faced legal issues in 2022 for violations related to the Bank Secrecy Act due to anti-money laundering lapses at BitMEX, although he and his co-founders received pardons from former U.S. President Donald Trump in 2025. He has since characterized the case as a regulatory issue not recognized as a crime in the UK.
Currently, BitMEX is winding down operations, with a recent announcement indicating that it will cease trading on September 23, following a strategic review by HDR Global Trading, the parent company.
This latest donation comes amid scrutiny of Reform UK's funding practices. Recently, two aides to Nigel Farage resigned after being caught on camera attempting to secure funds from a fictitious U.S. company. Farage defended the party's integrity, claiming no illegal funds were accepted and attributing the aides' actions to inappropriate discussions. The Electoral Commission has confirmed it is in contact with the Metropolitan Police regarding the situation, although no formal investigation has begun yet. Additionally, the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards is reviewing whether Farage should have disclosed Harborne's significant donation.
